When Oceanside Leaders Overlook the Homeless Tragedy Looms for All of Parksville & Qualicum BC

As the crisp autumn air gives way to the relentless chill of Vancouver Island winters, the community of Parksville & Qualicum Beach face a stark reality: homelessness is not just a personal crisis—it’s a communal one. With temperatures poised to plummet and no guaranteed winter shelters in sight, the failure of local leaders to prioritize those at risk and the unhoused threatens not only individual lives but the very social and economic fabric of these tight-knit Oceanside towns.

The numbers paint a grim picture. In British Columbia, deaths among people experiencing homelessness have nearly tripled since 2020, surging from 152 in that year to at least 458 in 2023 alone—a 23% jump from the previous year. Vancouver Island bore the brunt of this rise, recording the province’s highest year-over-year increase in such fatalities. Toxic drugs, exposure to the elements, and untreated health issues are the deadly culprits, but experts point to systemic neglect as the root cause. In the Parksville-Qualicum Beach area, a Point-in-Time (PIT) Homelessness Count conducted in April 2025 revealed the scale of the problem, with volunteers surveying those in need at sites like the SOS Community Services Centre’s Friendship Garden.  These counts, part of a province-wide effort from October 2024 through April 2025, underscore a hidden epidemic: dozens, if not hundreds, of locals — many working poor, seniors on fixed incomes, or those fleeing domestic violence — are teetering on the edge of the streets.

When community leaders deprioritize this issue, the ripple effects touch every corner of life in these rural and semi-rural enclaves. Start with public health: Emergency rooms in Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, the nearest major facility, overflow with hypothermia cases, infections from unsanitary encampments, and overdoses exacerbated by isolation.  In Errington and Whiskey Creek, where dense forests offer precarious shelter, the lack of outreach means preventable illnesses spread unchecked, straining volunteer groups like Manna Homelessness Society in the Oceanside area.  “We’re seeing more families showing up for food  because they’re one missed rent payment away from joining the line,” says Shayla Day, chair of the newly reformed Oceanside Homelessness Task Force, which relaunched in August 2025 after the previous iteration disbanded in May. This task force, a fragile beacon of hope, coordinates referrals for essentials and housing from Nanoose to Qualicum Bay. But without municipal buy-in, it’s a band-aid on a gaping wound.

Economically, the cost is staggering. Encampments along Highway 19A in Parksville and Qualicum Beach deter tourists—the lifeblood of these beach-side economies—while cleanup efforts drain municipal budgets. Property values dip as residents in Whiskey Creek and Errington report rising petty thefts linked to desperation, fostering a climate of fear that erodes the “small-town charm” these areas pride themselves on. "When we ignore the unhoused, we’re all paying the price—in taxes, in safety, in lost productivity,” Day warns.

Socially, the divide deepens. Protests erupted outside Parksville City Hall last October, with over 30 residents demanding an overnight winter shelter after the previous season’s failures left dozens exposed to sub-zero winds.  Echoes of that urgency persist on social media, where locals vent frustration: “Winter extreme weather shelter demanded but no zoned locations exist,” one user posted, highlighting the bureaucratic roadblocks that doom good intentions.  In Qualicum Bay, where retirees outnumber youth, the sight of tents in community parks sows seeds of resentment, pitting “us” against “them” in a zero-sum game where no one wins.

But the true tragedy unfolds in the shadows of winter’s grip. Last February, unhoused individuals in the Parksville area shivered through nights without consistent shelter, a repeat of heart-wrenching patterns that claimed lives of individuals province-wide.  Flash back to November 2020 in Whiskey Creek where three people perished in a burned trailer amid a remote encampment—victims of fire, drugs, and isolation after being pushed out of town cores.  Such stories aren’t relics; they’re harbingers. With 2023’s toll hitting 458 across BC and Island numbers climbing fastest, experts predict another deadly season unless action is swift.  A homeless advocate who tried to aid that Whiskey Creek camp was warned away the night of the deaths, underscoring how stigma and neglect compound the peril.

As frost etches the windows of cozy homes from Nanoose to Qualicum Bay, the question hangs heavy: Will leaders finally heed the call? The Oceanside Task Force urges immediate zoning for shelters, expanded outreach, and provincial funding ties. Residents, too, can amplify voices through petitions and council meetings. In these communities, where neighbors once rallied for beach cleanups and summer fairs, the real test of character comes not in sunshine, but in the storm. Ignore the homeless at our peril—for their tragedy becomes ours, etched in the ice of inaction.

Manna Homeless Society remains committed to providing foot care, food, tents , tarps, sleeping bag, clothing, bicycles, and sometimes donated trailers and motorhomes to those in need. We are bracing for a tough winter and ask for your continued support to help those without shelter your donations make a difference.

Thank you for your love and support!

Robin Campbell

Manna Homeless Society

Donations can be made by e-transfer to:

MannaParksville@gmail.com 

Or  cheques can be sent to:

Manna Homeless Society

P.O. Box 389

Errington BC VOR 1VO